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Social Media for Kids – How to Protect Them from the Negative Effects

In this digital era, social media for kids are one of the biggest issues that parents should face. You might find how surprising it is to see your kids more tech-savvy than you ever imagine. However, not all of the things about social media are safe for children. The negative effect given is as big as the positive one. Thus, this is very important for you to keep maintaining the safety of your little ones while on social media. Here are the tips to help you control your kids and keep them safe on social media.

#1. Check Their Privacy Settings Regularly

Talking about social media for kids, you need to keep vigilant about the privacy settings created by your little ones. This is because most of the social media platforms available out there also offer additional security settings continually. It is aimed to make sure that the users of the platform will enjoy maximum protection over their account. Most of the time, the settings require to be updated by the account users manually. Be aware that your kids might use this feature to avoid you spying on their social media activities. In this way, you need to regularly check the privacy settings used by your kids.

#2. Set Up an Age Limit for the Children

The development of today’s technology makes it possible even for little children to use gadgets. However, when it comes to the discussion of when the kids should start using social media, you need to establish an age limit. Make sure that you take a look first at the minimum age is required for each media platform. Most of the time, the minimum age allowed to use the sites is 13 years old or older. They also need to create a social media account with their parents’ permission.

#3. Make Sure to Avoid Posting Personal Details

Once you give your permission for your kids to have a social account, make sure that they do not post anything about their details. This could be address, phone numbers, school, and more. Your kids should know that though it is normal to share information with other people through social media, it is not wise to share personal details. This can be a weapon for people to commit crimes to the kids. Make sure that they understand what kind of information allowed to share and which one is not. Don’t forget to tell the reasons why your children should or should not the information.

#4. Educate Yourself

Don’t let your children make fool on you about their social media account. When you permit your kids to use social media, make sure that you also know how to use the account. Thus, you need to educate yourself about the current popular social media platform. Make sure that you are familiar with the platforms and get to know which ones are appropriate for your kids. Some of the most social media applications that are popular among users include Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, Tumblr, Reddit, Pheed, and more.

#5. Avoid Posting Risky Personal Photos and Videos

It seems that social media for kids is the most popular tool for people to post their photos and videos. It is like the children want to show their existant through this social media activity. But, do you know that it can be very dangerous? Some personal photos and videos can lead them to jeopardize their character and safety. This is because other people can take posts in the wrong ways. Additionally, once the pictures and videos are posted online, they can’t be entirely removed for the internet and result in long-lasting consequences. Discuss with your kids about the photos and videos that can be appropriately posted to keep their positive online characters.

#6. Accept Friends Request Only from the People They Know

One of the things that make people like to use social media for kids is that the tool will make it possible for them to meet more new people and get in touch with them. However, not all the people you know through online media are the good ones. Many of them are even identified as predators that search for kids and use their photos in the wrong ways. Thus, make sure that you talk to your kids about the dangers of accepting friend requests from individuals they do not know before. Accepting friend requests from unknown people will also open chances for bad guys to steal your kids’ information and cause harm to them. Tell your kids to only accept requests from friends and family